Jokowi’s Inauguration Speech in English

Note: I write this translation of Jokowi’s inauguration speech as president after looking at a request made by a colleague. I thank him for acknowledging me on his article about Jokowi’s inauguration speech, and now I provide the translation for everyone’s use and enjoyment.

“Under the will of the People and Constitution”

The respected, chairperson and members of the MPR,

The respected, Vice-President of the Republic of Indonesia

The respected, Prof. Dr. BJ Habibie, 3rd president of the Republic of Indonesia,

Megawati Soekarnoputri, 5th president of the Republic of Indonesia

Try Sutrisno, 6th vice-president of the Republic of Indonesia

Hamzah Haz, 9th vice-president of the Republic of Indonesia

The respected, Prof. Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, 6th president of the Republic of Indonesia

Prof. Dr. Boediono, 11th vice-president of the Republic of Indonesia

The respected, chairpersons of national agencies,

The respected excellencies, heads of state and government and special envoys of partner countries

[Also a respected partner and close friend, Prabowo Subianto, and Ir. Hatta Rajasa]

We just took the oath, an oath of which possesses a deep spiritual meeting, which stresses the commitment to work hard to achieve our common will as a great nation.

This is the time to unite our hearts and hands. This is the time for us to continue the extremely difficult test of history, which is to achieve and realize a sovereign Indonesia in politics, self-reliant in economics, and possesses a self-identity in culture.

I am certain we will be able to carry this extremely difficult test of history with unity, cooperation [gotong royong] and hard work. Unity and cooperation are the conditions for us to become a great nation. We will never be great if we are trapped in division and disunity. And, we will never be truly free without hard work.

The government that I lead will work to ensure that all people in all corners of the country can feel the presence of government services. I also invite all state agencies to work in high spirit in conducting their respective tasks and functions. I am sure that this country will be stronger and dignified if all state agencies work, bearing the mandate as given by the Constitution.

To all fishermen, labors, farmers, meatball vendors, street vendors, drivers, academicians, teachers, National Armed Forces, National Police Force, and professionals, I call for hard work, shoulder to shoulder, in cooperation. This is the historical moment for all of us to move together to work, work, and work.

Distinguished audience,

We want also to be present among nations with respect, with dignity, with pride. We want to be a nation that can create its own civilization. A creative great nation which can contribute nobility to the global civilization.

We have to work really hard to return Indonesia’s status as a maritime nation. Oceans, seas, straits, and gulfs are the future of our civilization. We have been showing our backs too long to these seas, to these oceans, to these straits, and gulfs.

This is the time for us to return them all, therefore Jalesveva Jayamahe, it is at the sea we are glorious, as the motto of our ancestors, may ring once more.

Brothers and sisters of the nation,

Hard work to build a nation is not merely the work of a president, a vice-president, or any members of the government that I lead, but it requires the support of a collective power, which is the unity of the entire nation.

The next five years will be a defining momentum as a free nation. Therefore, work, work, and work is the main thing. I am confident, with hard work and cooperation, we will be able to protect the entire nation of Indonesia, and all of its people, to increase people’s prosperity, to educate people’s life, and to involve in world’s order based on freedom, perpetual peace, and social justice.

Brothers and sisters of the nation,

On behalf of the people and government of Indonesia, I express my gratitude and respect to Your Excellencies, heads of state and government and special envoys from partner states.

I am stressing, under my administration, Indonesia as the third largest democracy with the largest Muslim population on Earth, as an archipelagic state, as Southeast Asia’s largest country, will always conduct a “independent-and-active” foreign policy, to serve national interest, and to involve in world’s order based on freedom, perpetual peace, and social justice.

At this historical moment, allow me to personally, and on behalf of Vice-President Jusuf Kalla, and on behalf of the people of Indonesia, to express our thanks and gratitude to Prof. Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and Prof. Dr. Boediono, which have lead the government for the last five years.

Distinguished audience,

To end this speech, I invite brothers and sisters of this nation to remember what our first president, Bung Karno, once said: that to build Indonesia to be a great country, a strong country, a prosperous country, a peaceful country, we have to possess the soul of cakrawati samudera, the soul of a brave sailor going through the rough and rolling waves.

As a captain, trusted by the people, I invite all people of this nation to get on board this Ship of the Republic of Indonesia and sail together to the Great Indonesia. We will be in full sail. We will face all storms and waves with our own strength. I will stand under the people’s will and under the Constitution. May the One Almighty God always bless our common effort.